2024: Film and Television in Review
If this is your first time on the site in awhile, I don’t blame you. I’ve been extremely inconsistent over the past 2-3 years but I made a commitment to myself to change that last year. This is the second article in review of 2024, if you’d like to see the first about music, you can click here. If you’d like to check out my article about Captain America, you can click here. For the house music playlist, the links are on Spotify and Apple.
Otherwise, enjoy the review!
Film
Alien Romulus - It’s been awhile since we had an Alien property that matches up to the name of the iconic series. Unfortunately, I was about a month late to the party and ended up getting spoiled on something in the final 20 minutes. Even knowing what I did, those last 20 minutes were probably the most exhilarating time I’ve spent in a movie theater this year. The tension in this movie was thicker than racial tension in Georgia in 1952. I mean at certain points I sat up out of my reclined seat, leaned forward, and held my breath. If you’re into body horror and science fiction scares then this is the movie for you. With movies like this and Dune 2 in the same year, it feels like we’re in a new age of Sci Fi and back in good hands.
Where to Stream: Hulu
Dune Part Two - Speaking of,l while I enjoyed the first Dune, Dune 2 took me by surprise. It’s comparable to the difference between A New Hope and the Empire Strikes Back. While the original hits all the notes of the beginning of something new and special, Dune Part Two hits all of the notes of being an instant sci fi classic. Strong cast? Check. Special effects that move the genre forward? Check. A climactic duel at the end with the fate of the galaxy on the line? Check. I saw Dune 2 in theaters twice and would’ve gone a third time if somebody would’ve asked. Don’t let the three hour runtime gatekeep you, go get that good science fiction in your veins.
Where to Stream: MAX
Nosferatu - CINEMA. At time of writing, it’s 5:08AM and I’m currently on a train headed back to the DMV post Christmas and pre New Years. I needed to get this out while it’s still fresh in my mind. Nosferatu is a triumph in the horror genre and filmmaking as a whole. Every shot felt carefully crafted while the cast delivered Shakespearean performances. Robert Eggers took his celebrated style from The Northman and evolved it to adapt a horror classic. Willem DaFoe stunned and did what he does best; play an eccentric weirdo to the best of his ability. Lily Rose-Depp delivered a truly magnificent performance and would’ve been the star had I not found out it was Bill Skarsgaard playing the harbinger of doom, Nosferatu himself. If you’re into horror and masterful cinematography, treat yourself.
Where to Stream: Still in Theaters
Deadpool & Wolverine - Finally. Hugh Jackman has been playing our favorite furry X-Man with anger management issues and a penchant for cigars for twenty years. While I can’t say that it all led up to this movie (because I think it was Logan tbh), I can say that just the novelty of seeing him in a MCU film was worth the wait. Maybe I’m ignorant because I really haven’t read that much X-Men, but from what I know, Deadpool and Wolverine team ups aren’t necessarily known for their plot elements. The people tune into this duo’s debacles to see some gore and have some laughs. On these notes, D&W absolutely delivers. Thankfully, the rat let the movie have an R rating, so they really were able to let loose. And even if the plot elements aren’t the strongest parts of the movie, Hugh brought a performance that felt like he’d been waiting on this for his whole career. Even if I still think Logan is a better movie.
Where to Stream: Disney Plus
Transformers One - I didn’t even know this movie was out until I was already at the theater to see Beetlejuice 2. Unfortunately, I got too busy and never made it to the theater while it was playing, but I sure wish I had. I recently watched this on a busy day while I was taking care of some in house chores, and I found myself just staring at the screen at times. As one would guess, this is a prequel series of our favorite robotic heroes before their beloved Cybertron. They have a star studded cast of Chris Hemsworth, Scarlet Johannson, Laurence Fishbourne, & Jon Hamm. But the real star of the show is Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron. I’m not sure how many voice acting roles he’s done leading up to this, but it may stand as the most convincing performance of the year. Some of his moments of raw anger truly moved me. To the point where I couldn’t stop rewinding a specific scene in the middle of the movie because he snapped. Paramount really did themselves a disservice by not advertising this movie, I would’ve probably been down to see it more than once in the theaters, to be honest.
Where to Stream: Paramount Plus
Gladiator - A couple of months ago, I lost my uncle who was very formative to my identity as a black man and as a movie enjoyer. One of his faves was Gladiator, and unfortunately, I never got the chance to watch it with him. Thankfully, I was able to watch it for the first time with my family on the day of his homegoing and….wow. Russel Crowe deserves every accolade he’s ever been given as an actor. His poise and line deliveries had me hanging on every word he spoke, and his silence in other scenes was deafening. The fight choreography was stunning and every time steel clanged against steel I was locked in and trying to anticipate what would come next. The costume designs for the various gladiators he’d fight in deathmatches at the Coliseum were immaculate. Don’t even get me started on Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack, just beautiful. Look, if you’ve never seen the movie, it’s even better than what you’ve heard. Go stream it.
Update (1/16): I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that last year, I found out MF DOOM took his inspiration for his second mask from this movie. Amazing.
Where to Stream: Hulu
Gladiator II - Consider what I just said about Gladiator, and imagine how hard it’d be to follow that up. Ridley Scott tried and while I still think it’s a good movie, I don’t think it meets or surpasses the original in any way. Denzel’s performance is masterful, but at this point, that’s what we’d expect out of him. Pedro Pascal is an outstanding actor, and I feel that he may’ve been underutilized in this film, but still delivered. Paul Mescal……was surprisingly flat in comparison to everyone else, even Joseph Quinn turned in a more convincing performance. Paul’s the protagonist and he left the least amount of impact on me, which was confusing. Also, I could see why the principal cinematographer was concerned about Ridley Scott becoming lazy as a filmmaker, with how the movie was edited and some scenes were arranged. Even with all these criticisms, I still really enjoyed the movie. The selling point of the movie, the sea battle in the middle of the coliseum, is still easily my favorite part of the movie. While the new soundtrack doesn’t exactly wow, it fits every scene well. Again, I have to reiterate that Denzel’s character is excellent and easily the high point of this movie. I was watching him and realizing that I for sure want to see Denzel on Broadway before he retires.
Where to Stream: Still in Theaters
Sonic 3 - I’m not gonna lie to you, I was apprehensive about the first Sonic film and was pleasantly surprised when I loved it. I grew up playing those games and still have a bit of apprehension when it comes to engaging in the new ones. Sonic 3 serves as a film adaptation of what’s hailed as the best of all of them, Sonic Adventure 2. And yes, they absolutely nailed it. This movie adds Keanu Reeves in the fold to portray Shadow the Hedgehog. While there were certain scenes when I felt like “yeah that’s Keanu” there were others where I really forgot and just saw Shadow. The fight scenes were fantastic. Jim Carrey is a delight as Eggman yet again. The Sonic series has given us three good movies in four years, which is almost unheard of in these times.
Where to Stream: Still in Theaters
Exhibiting Forgiveness - One of the times I was home recently, my mom had a bunch of Youtube panels on in the living room where the director of the movie and several of the actors were fielding questions. Turns out, the director, Titus Kaphar, is an accomplished artist and decided to make a movie about his life story. This movie gave me some of the cleanest shots I’ve seen this year while telling a story of a man trying to find forgiveness in his heart for a father that meant well but was strung out on drugs. Andre Holland and Andra Day star in this movie and give riveting performances. If you’re in the mood for some beautiful melancholy, I’d say this one’s for you.
Where to Stream: TBD
The Book of Clarence - I saw this movie at the top of the year for a friend’s birthday and I’ve gotta say, this is the type of black movie I want to see. The Book of Clarence follows Clarence, the brother of Jesus’ disciple Thomas, who, after smoking that dope, decides that being a fake messiah would elevate him to places he’d never been. I find content about people that live around extraordinary people hilarious. How would the normal bystander react to Jesus feeding five thousand people? Now imagine if all those bystanders were black. Exactly. Lakeith Stanfield is an odd guy off the screen but he continues to make movies that I enjoy watching.
Update (1/16): I can’t believe I forgot to mention the Nights Over Egypt scene. That’s just good #cinema.
Where to Stream: Netflix
Blue Velvet (1986) - David Lynch’s reputation as a brilliant filmmaker whose work is seldomly understood on the first watch is well earned. Previously, the only movie of his I’d had the pleasure of viewing was Mulholland Drive, a movie that I enjoyed watching but I couldn’t tell you much more than that you should check it out. Blue Velvet, on the other hand, feels like a noir mystery with all the fixins. It’s got murder, human mutilation, a femme fatale, an unsettling villain, and a killer soundtrack. I watched it in discord with some of my cinema enjoying friends completely by mistake. If I remember correctly, I was planning on leaving and had already relayed this message when the opening scene of Blue Velvet flashed across my screen and tied me to my chair. For my ladies, I will warn you that there’s a sexual assault scene midway through the movie (I’m getting better at remembering to tell y’all that). The main villain, Frank, is a degenerate scumbag with a mean streak miles long. The scenes where he pursues our protagonist are tension riddled and fear inducing. Rest in Peace to a true master of his craft, David Lynch.
Television
Slow Horses - If you’re into shows about espionage and stopping large terrorist threats then I indeed have a heater for you. At the time of writing, I finished this show about a week ago and am currently experiencing the worst show hole I’ve felt in awhile. Slow Horses is a show about MI5 agents who have all wet the bed in some way or another and have been sent to Slough House; a purgatory of sorts for unreliable agents. Inversely, the head of Slough House happens to be one of the greatest agents MI5 has ever had (played by Gary Oldman) who absolutely hates everyone he works with. The show has it all, stakes, drama, explosions, you name it. Maybe it’s my recency bias, but this is probably the most compelling show I’ve watched this year. I finished all four seasons in a week.
Update (1/7/): Rosalind Eleazar is #special
Where to Stream: Apple TV
Superman & Lois - Look, I have the same reservations about CW TV shows that you probably do. I tend to keep it to two seasons with their shows and then leave before it gets too ridiculous (1.25 seasons with Legends of Tomorrow). My dad’s been watching this and told me it was pretty good and I was honestly pretty dubious about starting it. I’m glad that I did. As a Smallville veteran, this is the best live action Superman content we’ve gotten since Man of Steel (yes, I know people feel a way about that one too). Tyler Hoechlin is an excellent Superman and Bitsie Tulloch is a riveting Lois Lane. I won’t say much in the way of spoilers, but Superman operating out of Smallville just tickles the right neurons in my brain. There’s some great wholesome family Superman stuff here, and if you’re a real Supes fan, you’ll know that’s the best part about the Man of Steel.
Where to Stream: CW App (it’s free, I promise)
Shrinking Season 2 - Shrinking enters your life the moment you need it and not a moment before. It’s a show about a psychiatrist (Jason Segal) who lost his wife and takes on a new way of helping his clients. He’s accompanied by a very strong cast including Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams (Entergalactic), Christa Miller (Scrubs), and Luke Tennie (Willie from Deadly Class). The show is incredibly light hearted and funny, but when the shit hits the fan, it hits the fan.It’s one of those shows I’d look forward to watching every Wednesday morning as a midweek pick me up. Season 2 had some moments that scared me when it came to decisions the characters were making *coughs* Liz *coughs* but that’s a testament to how invested I’ve become in this cast. There isn’t a character on the show that I truly dislike, I want the best for all of them. If your mental health is in crisis right now, I couldn’t suggest this show more.
Where to Stream: Apple TV
How to Die Alone - CALLING ALL INSECURE FANS. Natasha Rothwell (Kelli) finally got her shot at her own show and she knocked it outta the park. How To Not Die Alone is about an underachieving 30 something black woman that works at the airport finally deciding to choose herself and pursue her own happiness. The show is delightfully funny, and sometimes incredibly sad and moving. Natasha herself delivers in her role on both sides of the coin and is supported by a lesser known yet very talented cast. I was watching this show every Friday as it was released and that last episode is for sure a humdinger.
Where to Stream: Hulu
Severance - Dude, at time of writing (12/11) I just finished the first season of this show today and I am in shambles. Apple TV has historically done a terrible job of advertising their shows but this one broke out of all of the noise as something that I should’ve been watching years ago. I decided I was going to watch it this month to prepare me for season two next month and I am seriously glad I waited to watch. The show revolves around people that work for a mysterious corporation opting for a controversial procedure that doesn’t allow them to remember what they do at work everyday, and while they’re at work, they don’t remember their lives on the outside as well. The show is half psychological thriller, half sci-fi story with each episode giving you answers to previous questions while introducing even bigger questions. The last 15 minutes of the season finale had me anxious as all hell standing up in front of my tv. I wish I would’ve waited longer because I don’t know how I’m gonna wait a month and six days.
Update (1/17): Episode 1 of season 2 dropped today. It was worth the wait.
Where to Stream: Apple TV
The Anonymous - I don’t watch a lot of reality TV anymore, but what could always get me there was a show with good challenges and some stakes. The Anonymous, thankfully, has both along with the added fun of giving everyone an anonymous “social media” handle so they can say what they want to influence the rest of the group. If I had to describe it, I’d have to call it a passive aggressive Survivor. Yet somehow, the cloak and dagger of it all gives it an edge for me. People will befriend somebody in real life, and once they get into the bunker to log onto their handle, immediately throw them under the bus. All’s fair when up to $100,000 is on the line. Also, the guy Andy King who was ready to do depraved things for water during the Fyre Festival is in it, and he’s hilarious.
Where to Stream: Peacock
Gangs of London - Some of my friends have been ranting and raving to me about Gangs of London for a couple of years now. I knew that the first season was directed by Gareth Evans (The Raid, Rogue One) so I knew it was quality but I wasn’t going to sign up for AMC+ in order to watch it. This year, they finally put it on Netflix and I have to say, it more than lived up to the hype. The action set pieces are easily the most notable star of the show. Each fight is choreographed beautifully and with its bloody brutality, you feel the stakes with each scrap. I’ve heard some back and forth about the story, especially in the second season, but I have to say that I enjoyed it all the way through.
Where to Stream: Netflix
The Vince Staples Show - Even before he had a Netflix show, I knew Vince Staples was one of the funniest people alive. You can watch any interview of Vince and know that he has an unmatched wit. Netflix giving him his own show just makes a lot of sense, considering his larger than life personality and appeal to a larger audience. My personal favorite episode is easily the family barbecue episode. Without getting into any specifics, I saw some of my family reflected on that episode and that locks it in as one of my favorites.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Abbott Elementary S3 & S4 - Real serialized television is so back. Abbott Elementary has been delivering season after season of great comedy and heartwarming moments. It’s gotten to the point where I looked forward to Wednesdays for breakfast and Abbott. I am a fellow Quinta Brunson supporter, so seeing her succeed is always gonna make me glad. If you’ve never watched her show about elementary school teachers in Philly, you’ve got a wonderful binge ahead of you. I’m jealous.
Where to Stream: Hulu
The Penguin - Disclaimer: I am a huge fan of The Batman (2022). I haven’t decided yet whether I like it more than The Dark Knight or The Dark Knight Rises, but I do believe it’s one of the best Batman depictions out there. So when I tell you that The Penguin is a worthy tie-in to the universe established by that movie, there’s weight behind that. Colin Farell is borderline unrecognizable in this role, and not because of the fat suit and makeup. He and Cristin Milioti (Sofia Falcone) are heavyweights in this acting shit. The two of them deliver heartfelt and gutwrenching performances episode in and episode out. At time of writing, episode seven just aired and I’m not sure who I’m rooting for to win dominance in Gotham, but I do know that I will be thoroughly entertained all the way to the bitter end.
Update (11/11): Wow. They did not disappoint. Oz is going to hell.
Where to Stream: MAX
Terminator Zero: Honestly, it’s been a long time since we’ve had any type of decent Terminator media. But in an era where we finally have good Predator (Prey) and Alien (Romulus) movies, a Terminator anime is somehow bringing that 80’s feeling back. First of all, I have to say the main theme of the show is a banger, when I first watched it I ended up looping it for a full day and a half. When I heard it in the show for the first time, I texted Wavy and told him the show has #aura. The stakes are laid out by the end of the first episode and they reeled me in to needing to know what’s next. The show takes the obvious road of continuing the discussion on the ethics of AI, something you would’ve thought Terminator would’ve tackled more seriously by now. Even my dad, who notoriously isn’t into anything anime related, was really into the show and finished the season in a couple of days. Hey, it can’t hurt to give it a try.
Where to Stream: Netflix
Cross: I’ve got a confession to make. Regardless of how I feel about the current state of policing in America, I will always love a good cop show. I grew up on Monk, Psych, and Third Watch (the holy trinity of copaganda imo). While Cross doesn’t fit into the same genre of cop show as those three, it’s certainly more than worth your time if you’re into a good detective show. Cross is based on James Patterson’s legendary Alex Cross detective novels (Along Came a Spider, Kiss the Girls, etc). It takes place in current day Washington D.C. and does well with letting you know it. Aldis Hodge plays Alex in a very personal way, as if he can identify with the character. The scenes that’re supposed to elicit emotion do a good job of drawing you in and making you care. His antagonist for this season nailed their role as well, truly embodying the creep they were supposed to be. Finding out that James Patterson turned down 7 figures to whitewash Alex because he felt Alex being black was an intrinsic part of the character only made me a bigger fan. All in all, yet another show I finished way too fast and will probably revisit in the coming months.
Where to Stream: Prime Video
Batman: Caped Crusader - Animated Batman is so back. Produced by Bruce Timm, one of the original creators of Batman the Animated Series (90s Batman) and JJ Abrams, Caped Crusader does a lot to turn back the clock and bring us all to a familiar time. In this series, set in the mid 20th century, Bruce has been Batman for about a year and most of Gotham doesn’t yet believe that he exists. The show is only about 10 episodes, but Batman meets a significant portion of his rogues gallery, including my new personal favorite; Two Face. After finally reading Dark Victory two weeks before this show began, I was quite possibly in the best headspace for new Batman content. If you’re into the Dark Knight, there’s no way you can miss out on this heater.
Where to Stream: Prime Video
X-Men ‘97 - I know I’ve said this about a few shows here already, but I was very apprehensive about a continuation of the 90’s X-Men cartoon. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the show when I was a kid, and even now as an adult, but when I saw the CG animation, I got worried. I’m extremely happy I was wrong. I haven’t read as much X-Men as I should, (be real, there’s alot out there), but from what I understand it was adapting storylines directly from Chris Claremont’s run. The animation is clean during the fights, the voice acting was riveting, and the week to week conversations were so much fun. I’m very optimistic about the second season even with the firing of Beau DeMayo, the showrunner. The reports about him being hard to work with on set can only mean the show would be better without him. Only time will tell.
Where to Stream: Disney Plus
Fargo Season 5 - Some of my friends call me a sicko because I’ll join a show at a random season if it isn’t sequential. Such was the case for Fargo, but I started it during the Kansas City Black Mob season (4). I enjoyed that season enough to have my ears to the ground for season 5.. As mentioned, you can watch Fargo from any season you want because they aren’t necessarily related to each other (although apparently 2 and 4 are, somewhat). Season 5 delivered on every level, Jon Hamm played an excellent villain, Juno Temple played a hardboiled woman that knew how to survive, and LaMorne Morris turned in an Emmy winning performance as the guy you couldn’t help but root for. These, along with a stellar plot and Fargo’s signature cinematography, made for excellent television. If you haven’t, start Fargo today.
Where to Stream: Hulu
Shogun - Awww man, where do I even start? When this show got announced, I could tell off of the first trailer that it was gonna lock me in for 8-10 weeks. Hiroyuki Sanada playing a duty bound follower of the shogunate, forced to play political games in order to stay alive and protect his acolytes is a shoe in to get my attention. I wasn’t prepared for Anna Sawai to steal the show multiple times throughout the show. She was magnificent as Mariko, a compelling and unrelenting woman whose resolve knows no limits. There were some complaints about the whimsy of Cosmo Jarvis’ Captain Blackthorne, but I found his silliness somewhat refreshing. But I will not let anyone forget Moeka Hoshi’s stunning portrayal of Fuji san, the realest servant in the entire show. This was all just to speak of the superb acting, I haven’t even begun to talk about the breathtaking set design, stakeridden battles, and truly moving soundtrack. There’s a reason this show won 18 Emmys, y’all.
Where to Stream: Hulu
Fallout - I’ll admit, outside of Fallout 4, my knowledge of the Fallout franchise is pretty limited. I mean, sure, I watched youtubers play through New Vegas when I was a teenager but outside of that and Shelter, I really haven’t personally engaged with the IP too much. I preface this review with that because this show was surprisingly good. I am a known Walton Goggins fan and I’m adding his performance in this show as The Ghoul to one of his best roles. The show takes place in a nuclear apocalyptic world where the rich were able to afford places in vaults to avoid the bombs and left everyone else to fend for themselves. I ended up installing New Vegas for a couple weeks just to play a little right after I finished. I’ll be there when season 2 drops, especially with how it ended.
Where to Stream: Prime Video
The Acolyte - I’ve got just as much Star Wars fatigue as the next guy, I can’t lie. When my dad told me he’d been enjoying this show, I kinda rolled my eyes and moved on. A week or two later, I was at home with him and he mentioned it again, and I told him to throw it on. Yet again, I found myself having to eat my words. This show is the most fun I’ve had with a Star Wars property since Andor. The show follows twin girls, both trained in the force by witches with a grey sense of morality. These twins encounter a tragic event that pushes both of them to separate ends of the spectrum, one to the dark side, the other to the light. The Acolyte proposes the typical “push the narrative” question of, “what if the good guys were the bad guys to some people?” While that may not sound enticing to some, I found that the way they explored this engaged me from week to week. Mix in a mythical element dug up from old Star Wars books and a compelling villain, I was there every week. Unfortunately, Star Wars’ fan base is full of rabid incel racists, so the show was berated from week to week online which led to its cancelling. I could write a whole article on the despair I feel when I think of the Star Wars franchise, but I’m gonna leave it at this for now. Thank God we at least still have Andor to look forward to.
Where to Stream: Disney Plus
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist - As soon as I saw the first trailer for this show, I knew I was in. A tv show about a group of robbers pulling off an ambitious heist of one of the most prolific “businessmen” on the east coast during a Muhammad Ali fight? Sign me up. Especially with a cast like Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart, Terrence Howard (mayne), Don Cheadle, and Chloe Bailey, lending their talents to telling the story. I was especially excited when I watched the first episode and saw Portsmouth’s own Melvin Gregg playing his typical ruthless scumbag character (please let him be funny soon, Hollywood). All of the above give stellar performances, and while I wasn’t initially a fan, I was sold on Dexter Darden’s Ali by the third episode. Throw in a David Banner recurring role throughout the series and you’ve got an avid viewer in me. Yes, I did a lot of name dropping here but I need you to understand a bag was spent here and it was spent properly.
Where to Stream: Peacock